Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria [In-depth Review]

Last year I flew across the country to meet a group of women I met on Instagram. It sounds a little nuts, but it ended up being fantastic. We’re all heavily involved in the points-and-miles world so we got along splendidly. Fast forward a year and we decided to organize another meet-up, this time in Houston.

When we plan these meet-ups we always look for Hyatt locations since we all either have Globalist status — or are trying to earn Globalist status. For this trip, we chose Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria.

In this review, I’ll show you all around this hotel and tell you how I booked it so you can decide if it’s right for your next trip to Houston.

Booking

Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria is a Category 2 hotel that costs 6,500 (off-peak), 8,000 (standard), or 9,500 (peak) World of Hyatt points per night.

The cost during my stay in January 2023 was 8,000 points per night. I paid for 2 nights using points and I used a free night certificate from The World of Hyatt Credit Card for the third night. While I generally wouldn’t “waste” a Hyatt Category 1-4 free night certificate on a Category 2 hotel, I had no other use for it before it expired so I went ahead and redeemed it. Any way you look at it, an 8,000-point value is better than an expired certificate worth nothing.

The cash cost of my 3-night stay would have been $682.80, including taxes and fees. At 8,000 points per night, that works out to a 2.8 cents per point value. That’s great considering we value Hyatt points at ~1.5 cents each.

Hot Tip: If I am short on Hyatt points, I usually transfer them from Chase Ultimate Rewards, but there are lots of other ways to earn Hyatt points, too.

Location

Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria is located in Uptown Houston, Texas next to The Galleria mall, offering hotel guests easy access to plenty of dining and shopping. Fellow points-and-miles addicts enthusiasts will love that there’s a Saks Fifth Avenue across the street where you can easily use your Saks Fifth Avenue credits from The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

The Galleria also has a Capital One Café that offers a 50% discount on all handcrafted drinks when paying with any Capital One credit card or debit card.

I actually didn’t have my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card with me, but thankfully I had loaded it into my Apple Wallet and was able to pay via the digital card to get the beverage discount.

A few of us checked it out on our last afternoon in Houston and discovered was a great spot for co-working. There were semi-private rooms available that allowed us to chat and get some work done while enjoying our half-priced drinks.

Transportation and Parking

I flew into William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) and had a friend pick me up at the airport. The approximately 18-mile drive to the hotel took 25 minutes. Alternatively, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is about 28 miles away and takes 35 to 45 minutes (depending on traffic) to get to Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria.

We used the hotel’s valet parking and thanks to my friend’s Globalist status, the fees were waived. Overnight parking with in and out privileges costs $39 for guests who don’t have Globalist status.

I flew out of George Bush Intercontinental Airport so I could enjoy the Houston Centurion Lounge before heading home.

Bottom Line: Both Houston airports are convenient to the Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria hotel. William P. Hobby Airport is closer but only has a USO Lounge. George Bush Intercontinental Airport is the bigger of the 2 airports and has plenty of lounges, but it’s a bit further away from the hotel.

Check-in and Elite Benefits

The large lobby was a bright, open space with high ceilings and plenty of comfortable seating.

The check-in process was quick. As a Hyatt Explorist member (the mid-tier elite level), I was eligible for a room upgrade, excluding suites, but I didn’t get one. However, I was able to get a room down the hall from some friends, which ended up being very convenient. The majority of the friends I was meeting on this trip are Globalists and they all got suite upgrades.

I was offered a 2 p.m. late checkout as part of my Explorist benefits but I declined since I would be leaving for the airport early on the day of my departure.

All World of Hyatt elite members are supposed to get bottled water as a benefit. I wasn’t offered this benefit at check-in (nor were some of my friends), but we later discovered they were giving out coupons to some elite members for complimentary bottles of water from the grab-and-go market. The front desk gave us the coupons once we asked, but it was hit-or-miss whether or not they were handed out at check-in.

Alternatively, there was fruit-infused water available in the lobby if you didn’t want bottled water.

Amenities

Fitness Center

There was a 24-hour fitness center on the third floor of the Houston Hyatt Regency Galleria hotel.

The cardio equipment included treadmills and elliptical machines that looked out onto the pool area.

There was 1 Peloton bike located next to the elliptical machines.

The gym also had numerous weight machines as well as free weights.

There were a couple of yoga mats as well as a water dispenser in the fitness center, too.

Outdoor Pool

There was a large outdoor pool that was empty during my stay since it wasn’t warm enough for swimming. I imagine this area is much more inviting on a hot Texas summer day.

1 King Bed Room

While I didn’t get an upgrade, the room I got was very spacious, so it wasn’t a big deal at all, especially since I had the whole room to myself (a treat for me since I rarely travel alone). The decor was fairly bland but it had modern touches, including a blue and patterned accent wall.

Upon entering the room, the bathroom was to the left with a full-length mirror to the right.

The king-sized bed had lights on both sides along with mismatched nightstands.

One side had a really cool, textured stand with an iHome radio/docking station and additional outlets above that.

The other side of the bed had a really odd combination. There was a built-in shelf for the phone but below that was a small platform and an isolated shelf that didn’t match anything. While it looked silly, it did add some extra storage space near the bed which never hurts.

Next to the bed was a couch, table, and chair. There was also a floor lamp behind the couch which was helpful since there wasn’t any overhead lighting.

Across from the couch and table was a large built-in cabinet that housed the minifridge and coffee machine.

The coffee machine was on a pull-out shelf which made it a bit more convenient to access. There were both regular and decaf coffee pods as well as a selection of teas along with sugar packets and creamer.

Across from the bed, there was a TV with a small ledge that had more outlets.

The closet was a built-in unit located across from the bathroom. It had limited space but worked just fine for me since I have a tendency to not unpack on short trips like this one. There was an ironing board, an iron, and a safe in addition to a few drawers and room to hang clothes.

Overall, the room worked just fine for this trip. It was comfortable and I had plenty of space. My only complaint was that it could be a bit dark at times. While the room had floor-to-ceiling windows, there wasn’t any overhead lighting, so it was always a bit dark.

Bottom Line: The basic 1 King Bed Room at Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria is a spacious 353 square feet and has a sitting area with a couch and table as well as floor-to-ceiling windows.

Bathroom

My bathroom was separated from the bedroom by a sliding frosted-glass door.

The bathroom was bright and functional.

There was a stand-up shower (which is my preference versus a tub/shower combo) that had plenty of space, good water pressure, and plenty of hot water. The floor tiles looked like they’d seen better days, but at least they were clean.

There were full-sized bottles of Pharmacopia shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the shower.

There was 1 sink with ample counter space. Extra towels and a hair dryer were located under the sink.

One of the best features of this bathroom was that the toilet had its own room with a door. I love it when hotels do this as it makes the bathroom so much more functional when you have more than 1 person in a room. Plus, I loved the fun accent wall.

Regency Suite King

As I mentioned, I didn’t get an upgrade but pretty much everyone else I was traveling with was a Globalist and got a suite upgrade so I was able to grab a few photos.

The suites were large with a separate living room that had a full-size couch with a table and tv.

The bathroom in the suite was noticeably larger than mine with an enormous stand-up shower (yes, I was jealous).

The sink area in the bathroom had a lot of extra counter space but still only 1 sink.

The bedroom configuration in the suite was fairly similar to the regular rooms except it was larger.

Regency Executive Suite

The Regency Executive Suite is the largest available at Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria and one of my friends was lucky enough to get it. It had an enormous living room with plenty of seating for a large group.

The bathroom featured a soaking tub with floor-to-ceiling windows. Unfortunately, the view wasn’t spectacular, but it’s still a nice feature.

Food and Beverage

Let’s take a look at what’s on offer at the Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria in terms of food and beverages.

The Urban Star Restaurant

The Urban Star Restaurant is the only restaurant at Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria. Located adjacent to the lobby, it serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts throughout the day.

• Breakfast: Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.; Saturday to Sunday from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Lunch: Noon to 4 p.m. daily
• Dinner: 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily

I enjoyed the breakfast buffet each morning during my stay. Thankfully, I was traveling with friends who are Hyatt Globalist members, so breakfast was complimentary each morning.

Upon check-in, Globalists get breakfast coupons for 2 for each morning of their stay. Since most of us had our own rooms, I was able to be a plus-one for breakfast even though I only have Explorist status. The Regency Buffet normally costs $24, so having it complimentary each day was a great perk that saved our group a fair amount of cash.

While I am not generally a huge fan of buffets this one was decent with a good selection of both hot and cold items. The buffet itself was in the back of the restaurant and thankfully never felt crowded. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the restaurant let in lots of light so it was a pleasant spot to eat each day.

There was fresh fruit along with yogurt and granola. The mixed berries were especially good.

The bread section had some lackluster-looking pastries but there was a brioche-type of bread that made excellent toast.

I’m not kidding about the bread — it was delicious. In addition to butter and individual mini jars of jam (my personal preference), there were avocado toast toppings.

Hot items included things like eggs, breakfast potatoes, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and oatmeal.

Bottom Line: There’s a breakfast buffet as well as a full menu at the Urban Star Restaurant. The breakfast buffet is complimentary for Hyatt Globalist members.

The Urban Star Bar

The Urban Star Bar is open daily and serves lunch from noon to 3 p.m. and dinner from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Beer and cocktails are served throughout the day.

In addition to lots of space at the bar, there was also comfortable lounge seating around the bar. You could order food and drinks in this area but you had to go to the bar to do so.

The Urban Star Market

The Urban Star Market, open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., is located in the lobby and serves a variety of Starbucks coffee and tea along with grab-and-go food items throughout the day.

While I didn’t try any food from Urban Star Cafe, it looked like it had some decent options for a snack or grab-and-go meal.

Upon checking in, Hyatt elite members (Discoverist, Explorist, and Globalist) should get coupons for complimentary bottles of water. The coupons can be traded in at Urban Star Market.

Room Service

Room Service is available at Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria during the following hours:

• Breakfast: 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• Lunch: Noon to 3 p.m.
• Dinner: 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Service

The service at the Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria hotel was hit or miss. Some of my friends experienced some not-so-friendly front desk agents, but overall everyone I dealt with was pleasant.

On the first day, there was a problem with my coffee machine and I needed more cups and coffee pods. I couldn’t get through to the front desk or housekeeping on the phone so I went to the lobby to get what I needed. The man I spoke to at the front desk was helpful and sent the requested items up to my room.

The restaurant staff was friendly, although could be a bit slow at times. However, they were very accommodating with our group’s complicated coffee orders each morning.

Final Thoughts

Overall my stay at the Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria hotel was excellent. The rooms were spacious and comfortable, the common areas were perfect for a large group, and the location next to The Galleria mall was very convenient. Plus, as a Category 2 hotel, it was inexpensive to book with points.